1. Field of the Invention
An aspect of the present invention relates to a lid opening and closing system for opening and closing a lid of a glove box, for example, from and to a recess formed on an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a glove box is provided in front of a front passenger's seat of an automobile to be opened and closed, and as a means for opening, closing and locking a lid of a glove box of this type relative to a recess provided on an automobile's side, JP-A-2005-104192 discloses a glove box opening, closing and locking system having an operating portion which is mounted on an instrument panel side and provided with a push type knob and a pair of lock portions which are linked with each other in such a manner as to appear from and disappear into both left- and right-hand sides of a lid. In addition, the operating portion has an operation piece which moves in a direction which intersects at right angles a direction in which the knob is pushed. Then, when the knob is pushed, the operation piece moves at right angles to the knob, whereby the lock portions are pushed inwards of the lid, as a result of which the lid is opened from the recess by virtue of its own weight.
In the glove box opening, closing and locking system, however, when a frictional force is exerted between a peripheral edge of the recess on the automobile side and the lid due to the lid being distorted or warped, even though the lock portions are caused to retreat inwards of the lid so as to unlock the lid, there sometimes occurs a situation in which the lid is not opened by gravity.
JP-A-2006-327332 discloses a glove box constructed as shown in FIG. 15. A glove box opening, closing and locking system is disclosed which has a push-type operation button 1 mounted on an instrument panel side and a pair of engagement members 3 linked with each other by a rack and pinion mechanism in such a manner as to appear from and disappear into both left- and right-hand sides of a lid 2. In addition, a push pin 4 is provided on a side of the operation button 1 to move in a direction which intersects at right angles a direction in which the operation button 1 is pushed. A first slope 1a is formed at a distal end of the operation button 1, and this slope is brought into abutment with a second slope 4a formed on a side of the push pin 4. A tapered surface 4b is formed on the other side of the push pin 4. When the operation button 1 is pushed, the pushing force is transmitted to the second slope 4a via the first slope 1a. As this occurs, the push pin 4 moves in the direction at right angles to the operation button 1 and pushes at a distal end portion of the engagement member 3 so as to cause the engagement members 3 to retreat inwards of the lid 2, and the tapered surface 4b of the push pin 4 is brought into abutment with a corner portion 5a of a box 5 and pushes at the corner portion 5a so as to push the lid to open.
In the case of JP-A-2006-327332, however, the pushing force from the operation button 1 is transformed via the push pin 4 into the pushing force acting at right angles to the pushing force from the operation button 1, the engagement members 3 are caused to retreat by the push pin 4, and the tapered surface 4b of the push pin 4 is brought into abutment with the corner portion 5a of the box 5 to push open the lid 2. However, since the two tapered surfaces 4a, 4b are involved in the pushing action from when the operation button 1 is pushed to when the pushing force of the operation button 1 is transmitted to the lid 2, the force acting in the direction in which the lid 2 is opened is weakened, leading to a problem that the pushing force of the operation button 1 is made difficult to act effectively as the force with which the lid 2 is opened.